Commissioner of Public Safety Le’i Sonny Thompson assures that that he will not give special treatment on any cases.
He was responding to KHJ News questions concerning a traffic accident in the Lions Park area last week which was the subject of a KHJ News story earlier this week.
Members of the public were wondering why the accident, in which a truck being pursued by police rammed into a vehicle belonging to a cabinet member, hadn’t been in the news.
Le’i said the case we were asking about at Lions Park is under investigation.
KHJ News had received information from police sources that the driver of the vehicle had been under the influence and we asked why the driver had not been arrested as is the normal procedure for any DUI.
We also asked why the cops were pursuing the vehicle.
Le’i didnt provide any answers as the case is “under investigation.”
He did say he is the only one authorized to release information to the media because, “I want to make sure the information is accurate for the general public.
The commissioner said that “by giving us erroneous non factual information jeopardizes police investigations…put the lives of DPS officers in danger and cause undue stress and bad reputation on police officers.”
“Most importantly,” said Le’i, “it sends the negative implications that we are hiding the truth, very counterproductive to DPS efforts to improve our performance and service to the people.”
KHJ News was alerted about the accident by a member of the public who was driving through Lion Parks and a long cue of vehicles was backed up to in front of the Nu’uuli Vo Tech High School.
The caller said cops were directing traffic and telling vehicles they could not go through because of an accident.
Witnesses said they saw a white truck being carted away by a tow truck.
Police sources meanwhile told KHJ News that this accident was not treated like other suspected DUI cases and they believe its because the driver is a son of a high government official who’s on probation.
